Binary electro-mechanical transducer using a laterally sliding armature



1968 R. o. WHITAKER 3,

BINARY ELECTRO-MECHANICAL TRANSDUCER USING A LATERALLY SLIDING ARMATUREFiled Dec. 5, 1966 United States Patent 3,419,830 BINARYELECTRO-MECHANICAL TRANSDUCER USING A LATERALLY SLIDING ARMATURE RanaldO. Whitaker, 3145 N. Delaware, Indianapolis, Ind. 46205 Filed Dec. 5,1966, Ser. No. 599,038 2 Claims. (Cl. 335-170) This invention relatesprimarily to binary or flip-flop relays. Such relays close electricalcontacts upon receipt of one electrical signal and open the contactsupon receipt of the next electrical signal. More particularly thisinvention relates to the electro-mechanical arrangement for effectingthis binary action.

In accordance with the invention the armature of a conventional relay isadapted to slide on its mounting so that it can rotate laterally througha small are. This permits the head of the armature to move left andright. On the first activation of the magnet a lever catches on a firstprotruding lip and causes the armature to move to the left. The armaturethen comes to rest against a first contact. Upon the second activationthe lever catches on a second protruding lip and causes the armature toslide to the right. The armature then comes to rest against a secondcontact.

A binary relay of conventional design requires one or two watts ofelectrical power for operation. A prime application for such relays isin remote controls for TV receivers. The receivers of such controls aregenerally transistorized. However, the output transistors generallydeliver only 0.1 watt. In the usual system this 0.1 watt is used todrive a pilot relay which applies 110 volts to a conventional binaryrelay. A binary relay fabricated in accordance with the presentinvention can be operated directly from the 0.1 watt delivered by thetransistor. Consequently this new relay may be used to replace thetwo-relay combination presently being used.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a binary relaydirectly operable from the 0.1 watt output of a transistortherebyavoiding the need for a pilot relay to operate a heavier binary relay ofconventional design.

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective drawing of a binary relay fabricated inaccordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a relay fabricated in accordance with thepresent invention.

FIG. 3 is a partial frontal view of the switching mechanism of a relayfabricated in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a partial view of an alternate configuration of a relayfabricated in accordance with the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, a base 2 has fixed to it an electromagnet 4, aheader 6 of electrically insulating material,

and a tailpiece 8. Armature 10 of magnetic material rests V in therecessed portion of tailpiece 8. Slots 102 and 103 of armature 10 arewider than the thickness of tailpiece 8. This permits armature 10 to tipforward and backward in a vertical plane and to rotate slightly in ahorizontal plane. Shaft 12 is rotatably mounted in holes in the twoupright portions of armature 10. Lever 14 is fixed to the forward end ofshaft 12. Header 6 carries at its upper corners electrical contacts 16and 18. It also carries posts 20 and 22.

Armature 10 is biased counterclockwise by spring 24 as indicated in FIG.2.

Returning to FIG. 1, lever 14 carries four notches in its upper edge.The alignment of these notches with the contacts determins theparticular binary position. For the position of parts shown in FIG. 1,lever 14 rests against contact 18, completing an electrical circuit fromcontact 18 to the frame of the relay. Lever 14 rests against post 'i ce20 and does not touch contact 16. The binary position illustrated byFIG. 1 is that in which an electrical circuit is complete to contact 18.It is apparent that armature 10 may be moved to the left so that lever14 rests against contact 16 and stop 22. Contact 18 would be isolated.This position of the parts defines the second binary position.

How lever 14 is moved from the first binary position to the secondbinary position may be best understood by referring to FIG. 3. At thenext activation of magnet 4, shaft 12 and lever 14 move downward. Tip141 engages lip 61 of header 6. Tip 142 passes to the right of lip 62. Amechanical moment is produced which causes lever 14 to rotatecounterclockwise with tip 141 as a center. This rotation causes armature10 to move sideward in the direction of contact 16. Armature 10 rotateson tailpiece 8. The system is arranged so that motion ceases with slot30 directly under contact 16, slot 28 under stop 20, and slot 24 understop 22.

When magnet 4 releases, armature 10 moves upward carrying shaft 12 andlever 14. Lever 14 comes to rest against contact 16 and stop 22. This isrecognized as the second binary position.

A similar action involving tip 142 and lip 62 takes place upon the nextactivation of magnet 4. The system is returned to the first binaryposition. Slot 26 comes to rest under stop 22 and slot 24 comes to restunder contact 18.

The slots serve as indexing devices which cause the downward motion oflever 14 to start precisely from one of the two binary positions.Consequently lever 14 always strikes the appropriate lip of header 6. Itnever strikes both lips'or misses both. It cannot hang-up inmidposition. Contacts 16 and 18 and stops 20 and 22 have been shownrounded. They may be pointed to match the slots.

The relay as described closes the electrical contacts during themagnet-off period. Generally, relays close the electrical contactsduring the magnet-on periods. It is apparent that placing contacts onlips 62 and 61 converts the relay into a unit which closes theelectrical circuits during the magnet-on periods.

It is also apparent that the structure thus far described may beinverted so that the indexing notches close to their stops uponactivation of the magnet and lever 14 strikes the lips upon magnetdeactivation.

Many variations are possible. In particular, the electrical contacts maybe separated from the indexing system. Typical of such systems is thatshown in FIG. 4. A plate 32 of insulating material and fixed to theframe of the relay carries on its lower surface contacts 34 and 36.Lever 14 carries contact 38 along its upper edge. Shift of lever 14 backand forth between its two binary positions moves contact 38 back andforth between contacts 34 and 36. This system has the advantage thatconventional electrical contacts may be used. Also, only three contactsare needed. It has the disadvantage that careful alignment of the threecontact points must be effected.

The main use of the subject invention will be in the operation of thecontacts of binary relays. However, the invention may be used in manyother applications. It may be used to interrupt a light beam uponreception of each second electrical signal. The light beam may bereplaced by a jet of air or of water. The subject invention isessentially the provision of an electrically driven binary mechanicaldevice. The invention centers on the mechanism for causing the lateralmovement of the armature from one binary position to the other.

I claim:

1. An electro-mechanical transducer comprising a frame bearing anelectromagnet; an armature assembly having an armature adapted to bedrawn by said electromagnet and a lever having notches along one edgesaid lever being rotatably mounted to said armature; and stops fixed tosaid frame and adapted to fit into said notches in two differentcombinations, the first of said combinations defining a first binaryposition, the second of said combinations defining a second binaryposition; said lever having a first corner which upon movement of saidarmature away from said stops when said armature is in said first binaryposition engages a first lip of said frame, said engagement causinglateral movement of said armature to said second binary position; andsaid lever having a second corner which upon movement of said armatureaway from said stops when said armature is in said second binaryposition engages a second lip of said frame, said engagement causinglaterial movement of said armature to said first binary position.

2. An electno-mechanical transducer as in claim 1, and having one ormore electrical contact pairs, one contact of each pair being associatedwith said armature assembly and one contact being associated with saidframe, one or more of said contact pairs closing when said armature isin said first binary position and opening when said armature is in saidsecond binary position, the remainder of said contact pairs closing whensaid armature is in said second binary position and opening when saidarmature is in said first binary position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,635,154 4/1953 Zuckerman 335126XR GEORGE, HARRIS, Primary Examiner.

' U.S. C1. X.R. 3 35-203 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OFCORRECTION Patent No. 3,419,830 December 31, l

Ranald O. Whitaker It is certified that error appears in the aboveidentified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected asshown below:

Column 2, line 3, after "contact 18." insert This position will bereferred to as the first binary closed position. line 6, after "secondbinary" insert closed line 8, after "first binary" insert closed line 9,after "second binary insert closed line 19, after "stop 22." insert Thisposition will be referred to as the second binary open positic line 23,after "second binary" insert closed line 26, "returned" should readmoved same line 26, after "first binary" insert open line 27, after"contact 18." insert Upon deactivation of magnet 4, lever 14 movesupward and returns to the first binary closed position. line 30, after"two binary" insert closed line 39., "62" should read 61 same line 39,"61 should read 62 line 40, "circuits should read contacts line 41,after "periods." insert For contacts so positione contact closure occursfor either the first binary open position and/or for the second binaryopen position. Column 3, line l,"edge" should read edge, line 2, cancel"and"; line 5, after "first binary" insert closed line 6, after "secondbinary" insert closed-;same line 6, after "position' insert and a returnspring between said frame-and said armature and adapted to move saidarmature toward said stops when said electromagnet is deenergized; line7, after "which upon" insert a firs magnet activation and consequentline 9, after "first binary-5' insert closed line 11, "said secondbinary" should read -'a= position defined as the second binary open sameline 11, after "position; insert said return spring being adapted tocause said lever to move to said second binary closed position upondeactivation of said magnet; line 12, after "which upon insert a secondmagnet activation and consequent-; line 14, after "second binary" insertclosed line 15, "laterial should read lateral line 16, "said firstbinary position." should read--- a position defined as the first binaryopen position; said return springbeing adapted to cause said lever tomove to said first binary closed'position upon deactivation of saidmagnet. line 18, "pairs, one" should read pairs;

a first Column 4, lines 1 and 2, "assembly and one should read assembly;and a second same line 2, "said frame," should read said frame; line 3,beginning with "one or more", cancel all to and including "first binaryposition." in line 8, same column 4 and insert each of said contactpairs being associated with a corresponding one of said four binarypositions; each of said contact pairs closing only when said armatureassumes said corresponding one of said four binary positions.

Signed and sealed this 17th day of March 1970.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JP Attesting OfficerCommissioner of Patents

1. AN ELECTRO-MECHANICAL TRANSDUCER COMPRISING A FRAME BEARING ANELECTROMAGNET; AN ARMATURE ASSEMBLY HAVING AN ARMATURE ADAPTED TO BEDRAWN BY SAID ELECTROMAGNET AND A LEVER HAVING NOTCHES ALONG ONE SIDESAID LEVER BEING ROTATABLY MOUNTED TO SAID ARMATURE; AND STOPS FIXED TOSAID FRAME AND ADAPTED TO FIT INTO SAID NOTCHES IN TWO DIFFERENTCOMBINATIONS, THE FIRST OF SAID COMBINATIONS DEFINING A FIRST BINARYPOSITION, THE SECOND OF SAID COMBINATIONS DEFINING A SECOND BINARYPOSITION; SAID LEVER HAVING A FIRST CORNER WHICH UPON MOVEMENT OF SAIDARMATURE AWAY FROM SAID STOPS WHEN SAID ARMATURE IS IN SAID FIRST BINARYPOSITION ENGAGES A FIRST LIP OF SAID FRAME, SAID ENGAGEMENT CAUSINGLATERAL MOVEMENT OF SAID ARMATURE TO SAID SECOND BINARY POSITION; ANDSAID LEVER HAVING A SECOND CORNER WHICH UPON MOVEMENT OF SAID ARMATUREAWAY FROM SAID STOPS WHEN SAID ARMATURE IS IN SAID SECOND BINARYPOSITION ENGAGES A SECOND LIP OF SAID FRAME, SAID ENGAGEMENT CAUSINGLATERIAL MOVEMENT OF SAID ARMATURE TO SAID FIRST BINARY POSITION.